articles

Spray Foam Insulation: Tips For Easy DIY Installation

If your home is not insulated or airtight, then you may be wasting hundreds of dollars every year on hot and cold air that escapes through the cracks of your home.  Old homes are likely to lose more energy than new ones, and you can save an average of 15% on your home heating and cooling costs by securing insulation in attics, ceilings, and in between walls.  Spray foam insulation is a good choice if you feel that you are losing far more energy than the average home.

Three Fantastic, Affordable Ways To Clear A Clogged Drain Without Harsh Chemicals

Whether it's your kitchen drain your outtake pipe that's become clogged, it can be a time-consuming, expensive hassle to clear it. Calling in the pros is sometimes necessary, but there's plenty you can do right at home to safely clear out mild blockages. From manual removal to easy natural remedies you can mix up right in your kitchen, this list will help you to get rid of clogs both safely and quickly when they occur.

Hitting Ground Water When Excavating: Problems It Causes And How To Combat It

When excavating your property in order to build a foundation for your new home, you are most likely not thinking about potential problems that could arise. After all, how hard could it be to dig a hole? Unfortunately, there are a number of issues you can run into when you are excavating your property, one of which is hitting ground water. High water tables plus excavation can equal disaster. There are a number of reasons why water entering your excavated area can equal disaster for your foundation, as well as a few ways to combat hitting water.

The Hazards Associated With Directional Drilling: What To Look For And How To Stay Safe

Horizontal directional drilling has greatly increased the ease of performing underground utility installations by reducing the need for time-consuming, labor-intensive and disruptive trenching. It has also increased the safety of the process for workers involved in utility installations by eliminating potential trench wall collapses and other deadly mishaps. However, as with any process used by builders and others involved in utility work, there are still, quite literally, hidden dangers when performing directional drilling.

4 Imperfections To Watch Out When Choosing Lumber

When using lumber for your interior or exterior home remodel, it's important to take the time to handpick each piece. After all, the finished project can only look as good as the material you use to build it. Whether you obtain a whole shipment of lumber at your doorstep or go to the hardware store yourself to pick out each board, you must cast away pieces with any of the following faults.

Ground Cover Battle Royal: Picking The Right Mulches When Gardening With Pets

Gardens overflowing with flowers or keeping the refrigerator full of vegetables take a lot of work, especially when it comes to weeding. Laying down a nice thick layer of mulch from a landscaping materials supplier is a smart way to avoid the backache after a day's worth of weed pulling. While you may have already compared various organic and inorganic mulches for their benefits for the plants, don't forget to consider how they can affect your pets when they wander into the garden.

Two Common Oil Furnace Issues To Be Aware Of

If you have an oil furnace that you run to keep your house warm during the cold Canadian winters, then you likely know that you need to schedule yearly maintenance to keep your heater running properly. This maintenance can be completed by a furnace repair specialist. The changing of oil filters and the inspection of oil tanks may not completely eliminate the need for future repairs though. This means that you should be well aware of the various signs that a repair needs to be completed.

Installing Foundations Close To Trees

Many houses share their plots with trees and plants that help boost the attractiveness (and subsequently the value) of a property. However, these same trees can also pose some very significant structural problems, particularly with foundations. The underlying problems are typically related to the tree's roots — if the root is compromised in any way, it will have some effect on the behavior of the underlying soil.  The Problems There are a number of problems that can arise from building foundations close to trees.

2 Issues That Will Damage Your Water Tank's Heating Elements

Just like your car or phone, you use your electric water heater on a daily basis. For this reason, it's necessary you learn how your water tank's heating elements sustain damage and fail. By understanding how these vital components can be damaged, you can perform or arrange for preventative maintenance before it's too late. Here are the three issues that are most likely to damage your tank's heating elements: Corroded Anode Rod

Concrete Versus Steel: How To Know Which Deck Material Is Best For Your Needs In A Truck Scale

Truck scales from places like Ancoma Scales come in a variety of configurations and sizes, but almost all of them can be broken down into one of two categories: steel decked and concrete decked. When considering which kind of truck scale to buy, the decision to go with either steel or concrete decks is important. There is no one right answer for every prospective buyer; each buyer must choose based on their own needs.